Death...as morbid as a concept it is, is inevitable. For people with terminal illnesses and no cure in sight, it is a concept that they are in denial from, and the ones that have accepted it, have no place to take refuge from the constant reminder of it.

There are places called hospice, that are built to deliver this type of healthcare. They focus on the well-being and pain alleviation of such patients, as possible, during their final days. It fulfills the patient’s physical, mental and emotional needs. Studies suggest that in the supportive environment in a hospice, patients are likely to live longer than conventional terminal patients.

When any cure is no longer effective in palliative care, terminally ill patients are shifted to a hospice, where only relieving the symptoms is possible. Although not a widespread idea, it is found that many patients choose to live this way, overgoing for treatments that may or may not offer a slim chance of survival, but come with definite pain.

How can the spatial design of an environment deliver the kind of support that these patients need?

Among terminally ill patients, a portion of them are children, and they are oblivious to death until they reach a certain age. Tending to their physical needs is easier than talking to them about death.

Most parents may choose not to talk to them about their illness, to make the situation easy for them, but children tend to come to this realization as their body changes and they receive treatments, care and sympathy from others.

Hospice care homes for adults offer care in a sophisticated manner, since these patients are more accepting of their conditions and end, providing healthcare for terminally ill children requires more careful handling of specifics.

To these kids, who have not even had the chance to explore the world as much, and are moving towards the end of their lives, how they spend their time is what will define their existence. Designing thoughtful spaces that provide care in lively environments is essential, so as to engage their final days in a worthwhile manner.